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The Anaheim Packing District is a local treasure buried in the heart of Anaheim. Overfilled with curiosity, I concluded that my first Secret of SoCal needed to be the Anaheim Packing House so I could determine for myself what the buzz was about. Originally constructed in 1919 as an agricultural packing house, the Packing House was utilized by Orange County’s agricultural community. A rustic scene turned hipster-chic, the contents of the two story Packing House are now small food businesses.

When approaching the Packing House, I feared I misread my directions. Surrounding the Packing District is a quaint residential area that provided no hints about my first Secret of SoCal. Past the railroad tracks, a new type of architecture appeared, with rod iron gates and greenery that paved way for the Packing District. I parked in one of the adjacent lots and walked past numerous brick walls through the gates of the Packing House. Immediately, I was overcome by the pleasant hum of patrons enjoying their afternoon. The set up of the restaurants paralleled a mall food court, but with a fresh pizazz. Each brand uniquely demonstrated their personal style.

Not only is the destination one of a kind, the internal architecture is uncommon as well. The central location within the Packing House is set up as an atrium with stylishly overgrown vines accompanied by lounge chairs. There is an additional outdoor porch and seating area to enjoy an alternative scene. The main appeal of the Packing House is the eclectic mix of restaurants varying from gourmet popsicles at Popbar, to delectable curry at Adya. The wide spectrum of delicacies entice residents from the surrounding community to continuously populate the four walls of the Packing House.

The Packing House was charmingly over-stimulating, especially on a busy Saturday afternoon. I discovered that there was not method to the placement of the restaurants. In attempts to absorb the new environment I meandered throughout each floor and peered at the vast, unique menus each restaurant provided. After glancing at each menu, I decided to venture to Popbar. Popbar was one of the top reviewed businesses within the Packing House on Yelp. Popbar uniquely provides gelato on a stick and allows the patron to choose a type of chocolate to have their gelato dipped in. I purchased the green tea gelato dipped in dark chocolate with waffle crumbles. It was phenomenal.

My adventure to the Packing House was enlightening and most definitely a novelty. The environment, patrons, and merchants all contributed the this unique experience. I highly recommend the Packing House location to anyone who is looking the perfect afternoon adventure.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my first, but not last, Secret of SoCal.